City, shelter think long-term

The city of Chico and the Butte Humane Society have moved a step closer to common ground by agreeing to work on a long-term contract over the operation of the Fair Street animal shelter.

The length in mind is five years—the term BHS sought after the most recent contract renewal, for two years, expired in June. Officials from both sides will hold weekly meetings, starting today (Sept. 28), to work out terms.

“I’m encouraged that we’ve at least decided to take a direction in terms of working things out,” Assistant City Manager David Burkland said. “We hope to work though it in the next month or so.”

That timetable is key because BHS plans to vacate the shelter if it does not have a contract by Nov. 1.

This latest turn in a months-long saga—detailed in CN&R’s Sept. 14 cover story (”Gimme shelter")—follows a meeting Sept. 20 called to resolve some of the sides’ differences.

“We’re at the same place we were two weeks ago,” BHS executive director Cathy Augros said, “except the city has backed away from the desire to take over the shelter, it seems permanently.”

BHS has run the facility for 19 years, contracting with the city to handle the sheltering of stray and surrendered pets. In a July 26 press release, City Manager Greg Jones announced the city would take over the operation with the hope that BHS would continue to handle adoptions.

Augros’ organization held a public meeting Aug. 22 in City Council Chambers. There, in front of a standing-room-only crowd, Councilman Larry Wahl said the council had not approved the move and it wasn’t a done deal. City administrators stepped back from the Jan. 1 date and offered BHS a one-year contract while negotiating a longer-term deal. BHS declined, setting the stage for last week’s meeting.

What the city wants in a new contract, Burkland said, are the means to monitor the shelter more closely. Those would include specified “points when we require information from them” and clearly defined records the city wants kept.

“What’s important to us in a long-term contract,” Augros said, “is we get our problems with the city ironed out permanently.” Foremost in that regard is “some kind of system to resolve complaints"; both sides have acknowledged the need to bridge a communication gap.

Of course, there are financial considerations. Both sides expressed a desire to add vaccinations and flea control to the contract, which covers the first five days animals spend in the shelter; that cost needs to be negotiated. Augros also hopes the city will help solve the overcrowding problem by providing temporary buildings “so we’ll have more room for animals.”

An overriding consideration may be how much impact the city’s requirements will have on BHS’ expense. Increased record-keeping, for instance, could necessitate increased staffing.

“We have to have what we have to have,” Augros said. “If the city wants a certain level of services, they have to pay for it.”